


Shadows among the broken (too late for us to save)

by MYuzuki



Series: No matter what’s in front of me (I’ll keep fighting til I’ve won) [27]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26528200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MYuzuki/pseuds/MYuzuki
Summary: Nyx doesn't know what to expect when he mounts an assault on the MT production facility in Cleigne. Imperial troopers and magitek soldiers, yes. Daemons out to kill him? Definitely. Heaps of classified scientific reports full of disturbing information? Sure, why not.But does he expect to run into Ardyn Izunia of all people? Definitely not.And yet there he is, complete with an ostentatious coat and a sly smile.(Nyx is starting to think he should maybe just stop having expectations at all.)
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia & Nyx Ulric
Series: No matter what’s in front of me (I’ll keep fighting til I’ve won) [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1897525
Comments: 22
Kudos: 127





	Shadows among the broken (too late for us to save)

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so! Welcome back, my friends! Most of you guessed already, but Ardyn will be making an appearance in this chapter, as I transition into the next stage of Fixing Things. 
> 
> That being said, please be aware that I had a really hard time writing Ardyn in this chapter because I go back and forth on whether or not I dislike him for being a manipulative bastard or find him a sympathetic villain because of his Tragic Backstory. Also, I have a hard time pinning down his characterization just in general so if he seems wildly OOC it is entirely my fault and I accept full responsibility, lol.
> 
> (But I hope you enjoy the chapter regardless. ;D)

**Shadows among the broken (too late for us to save)**

* * *

Nyx doesn't know what to expect when he mounts an assault on the MT production facility in Cleigne. Imperial troopers and magitek soldiers, yes. Daemons out to kill him? Definitely. Heaps of classified scientific reports full of disturbing information on how magitek infantry soldiers are produced? Sure, why not.

But does he expect to run into Ardyn Izunia of all people? Definitely not.

And yet there he is, complete with the ostentatious coat and sly smile.

(Nyx is starting to think he should maybe just stop having expectations at all.)

Nyx is alone when he stumbles across Ardyn, which is both a blessing and a curse.

It's good because it means the dozen other Glaives that he'd brought with him to attack this facility aren't in the direct line of fire, won't be collateral damage if things between Nyx and the Chancellor take a nasty turn. But it's also bad, because he's _alone_ with the High Chancellor of Niflheim, who just happens to also be a two thousand year old member of the Lucis Caelum line with all the power and cunning that such a thing entails.

(And that's not even counting the whole "his body is literally full of daemons" bit.)

"Well, well, well, what do we have here," Ardyn says as he catches sight of Nyx, a slow smile spreading across his face, the warmth of it never reaching his eyes, which remain shrewd and calculating. "One of the King's precious Glaives, come to throw a wrench in the works of the Empire?"

"Something like that," Nyx confirms, belatedly grateful for the hood that's keeping part of his face in shadow; he doesn't leave it up often, because it can impact his peripheral vision in the heat of battle, but he's glad to have it on now, since it'll help mask any expressions that might give away his unease. "I can't help but wonder what _you're_ doing here," he goes on. "Word has it that your Emperor's looking for you. Shouldn't you be running along home?"

A flicker of irritation crosses Ardyn's face, lips curling in distaste before his expression smooths out again. "Aldercapt isn't _my_ anything," he replies, disdainful and darkly amused. "A means to an end, once upon a time. But no longer." He gives a delicate sniff and brushes a speck of invisible lint off the feathered sleeve of his coat. "And as it so happens, I came here to put this facility out of operation. A gesture of goodwill, one might say."

Nyx opens his mouth to respond, then hesitates, considering. "So you did get the letter, then," he says, because no matter how he turns that statement over in his head he can't find any sort of alternative interpretation other than the fact that Ardyn is, apparently, in the process of defecting from the Empire. Or at least considering it. And there's no reason for him to do that _unless_ he's read that fucking letter.

(Nyx can't say that he fucking _understands_ it, but then again he's not crazier than a bag of frenzied cockatrices the way Ardyn is, so that's probably to be expected.)

Ardyn, for his part, looks surprised by Nyx's words for a few precious seconds before his expression turns politely incredulous, a sly smile gracing his lips even as a calculating gleam sparks in his gaze. "And how, pray tell, would an ordinary member of the Kingsglaive know about that letter?" he asks, voice dangerously soft as he steps away from the computer console he'd been standing beside. "After all, I highly doubt that your King made its existence public knowledge."

"No," Nyx agrees. "He didn't. But I'm not an ordinary Glaive and I do know about the letter. And since _you_ know about it, I'm going to assume that yes, you got the damn thing. And since you're here, thinking about dismantling an Imperial facility, I'm going to go a step beyond that and assume that you're considering taking us up on our offer."

"Our?" Ardyn echoes, a sharp smirk stretching his face into something vaguely unsettling. "You speak like you were there to decide the matter."

"What makes you think I wasn't?" Nyx asks flippantly, even as the magic running through his veins pulses in time to his heartbeat, a steady thrum of _danger, danger, danger_ in response to the threat that Ardyn poses simply by existing.

Ardyn's gaze narrows, almost a glare but not quite, more contemplative than combative. "You're no simple foot soldier," he remarks. "Who are you?"

"Someone who thinks the Lucii are dicks for letting this bullshit go on as long as it has," Nyx says matter-of-factly. "And as it so happens, the king that I serve agrees with me."

"I find that rather hard to believe," Ardyn comments after a moment of startled silence, something bitter creeping into his smile. "Every Lucian ruler since the very first has been beholden to the Astrals and their dictates for how the world should be. It seems unlikely that the current king would decide to veer from the path of destiny on his own."

Nyx gives a low snort, a complicated tangle of emotions springing to life in his chest, grief and hope and fury all twined together in a messy knot as he remembers the future that could have been. "Not on his own, no," he agrees, and the power of the Lucii _burns_ inside of him, hot and bright and full of potential.

"Who _are_ you," Ardyn demands again, and all Nyx can do is laugh, the sound tearing out of his throat and leaving him breathless.

"I'm the idiot who told them to write you a letter," he says once he's gotten his borderline hysteria under control. "Now, are you coming back to Insomnia willingly, or do I need to knock you out and drag you there?"

**Author's Note:**

> …okay, so a little bit of a cliffhanger there, sorry! If it's any consolation, the next update is coming tomorrow as per usual, so you won't need to wait very long to find out what happens next. ;D
> 
> (Feel free to come scream at me in the comments section in the meantime, though! I love hearing from you guys. <3)


End file.
